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• BOOK ONE | NO PRINCE •
BLURB
Zepp Hunt wasn’t the king of Dayton high school. He was the top of the food chain. And I was next in line to be dragged into the lion’s den. At least that’s what he thought…
Good girls wanted to tame him. Bad girls want to be tainted by him. Everyone bowed down to him. And me?
I hated Zeppelin Hunt with every fiber of my being.
Which was why I stayed away from the arrogant bad boy with tattoos and a rap sheet.
Until I couldn’t.
Until we traded favors, and I owed him three months of my life. I never thought I would end up in his bed, and when I did, I had to remind myself that he hated me as much as I hated him.
Until I didn’t.
Zepp Hunt was no prince, and I absolutely refused to be his damsel in distress…
MINI REVIEW
Genre/ Tropes: Hate-To-Love, Close Proximity, Instant Attraction, Secret Crush
TW: Attempted Sexual Assault, Drug Use, Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, Violence
I went into this book with the assumption it was just another hate-to-love teen romance. Little did I know it was the start of a new obsession! 😍 Dayton is the type of harsh reality I only ever see in either films and tv, or on the news— rundown neighbourhoods, seedy environments, high crime rated streets, and those who unfortunately live in the thick of it.
Yes, it’s angsty and tragic, but rightfully so. Yet, I found it thoroughly engaging and at times unpredictable. This book sets up the world-building and overall gritty tone of the book, and the rest of the series for that matter. It’s contemporary with a handful of dark elements included. The cast of characters introduced immediately had me curious to know more. Zepp and Monroe couldn’t have been a more perfectly suited pairing. The zingy pull-and-push relationship brewing between them was gripping to say the least. The constant game-playing and sexual banter was highly entertaining, but there was also a nice counterbalance of sincerity, understanding, and protectiveness in between.
You see a gradual progression in their character growth as the two unexpectedly form an undeniable bond. I was intrigued by the premise, and I’m happy to say the storytelling was well-executed. I didn’t even mind the slow burn romance. My only hang-up is the ending was a little on the abrupt side and wasn’t as in-depth in details as the rest of the book. But it’s still a gripping read and an excellent start to the series.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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• BOOK TWO | NO GOOD •
BLURB
He was the reprobate king of Dayton high. I was the bitter princess cast out of my kingdom. And we were at war.
It started off with a lie, and a one-night stand gone terribly wrong. Although I knew nothing good would come from my encounter with Bellamy West, the small town’s gorgeous bad boy, I didn’t expect him to throw jet fuel onto the already flaming wreckage of my life. Then step back with a sexy smirk on his face to watch me burn.
And burn I did…
He got me fired.
I got him arrested.
We were enemies until we weren’t. Until one touch went too far, and I found myself craving each dirty word. Every filthy promise.
Bellamy West was no good, and I wanted to be bad.
Screw falling for Prince Charming, I wrote my love story with the villain.
And for that, I paid..
MINI REVIEW
Genre/ Tropes: Opposite Sides Of The Tracks, One Night Stand, Close Proximity, Forbidden Romance
TW: Drug Use, Violence, Bullying
This next book was a little more on the light-hearted, playful side. There’s still some saddening developments but for the most part Bellamy and Drew have this highly amusing, super adorable relationship. It’s an opposite sides of the tracks love affair that had me giggling all throughout. 🤭 They’re another likable pair of characters, with Drew being a cute and confident heroine with bratty tendencies, and Bellamy surprisingly being one of the sweeter, more adult, more thoughtful heroes from the series, and it has a lot to do with his backstory.
The distinct differences between Bellamy and Drew doesn’t hold them back from pursuing one another—and when it looks like all things are stacked against them, they always manage to find a way around it. If charming, protective, loyal heroes tickle your fancy, I think you’ll find Bellamy quite the sweetheart.😉 He went from a secondary character to the main man of Dayton in this book and he filled the role with his own swoon-worthy finesse.
A great addition that essentially left me happy sighing, but it’s another story in the series with another abrupt ending— this one slightly more hasty than the last in resolving issues before it concluded. Although there was an epilogue, I was left wondering about certain matters. I wish this story was longer, but nevertheless still a worthwhile read!
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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• BOOK THREE | NO ROMEO •
BLURB
To everyone in Dayton, Hendrix Hunt was the tattooed bad boy, the bully, the player. Guys hated and feared him. Girls wanted to tame him. And I just wished I could forget him.
Two years ago, Hendrix was my world. Then the taint of Dayton ruined everything, breaking us both with secrets and lies. I destroyed him and now he wants to destroy me…
They say love is patient, that love is kind, but when love is broken it becomes filled with jealousy and revenge.
Hendrix Hunt was no Romeo. But unfortunately, just like Juliet, I was in love with my enemy.
MINI REVIEW
Genre/ Tropes: Friends-To-Lovers, Second Chance Romance, Love–Hate–Love, Close Proximity
TW: Sexual Assault, Child Abuse, Drug Use, Abortion, Violence
I’ve read countless romance books with “alpha-holes” and “man-whoring” leading men… but after having read these books, Hendrix takes top spot, hands down! Lol. In saying that, never in a million years could I have predicted (after all he has said and done in the past two books) that Hendrix and his story would end up becoming my favourite! 🤯😄
I was wholly captivated by Hendrix and Lola’s relationship and their entire backstory right from the opening scene. Hendrix has a distinct image he presents to everyone but this book gave amazing insight to another side of him that ultimately made me see him in a different (and absolutely lovable) light.
It’s well-paced storytelling, and jam-packed full of developments between Lola and Hendrix. Their history is well-developed alongside a deep sense of genuineness to their relationship that was effortlessly convincing. There’s air of tension and angst throughout that really drives home the heartbreak that both these leading characters are constantly experiencing. I love the amount of heart and emotion their story possessed— it’s one of the main reasons as to why I became so invested in seeing their HEA.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
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I’m not even the slightest bit embarrassed to admit I got hooked on this series relatively quickly. I wasn’t even halfway through No Prince before I knew I needed to grab the other books in the series. Each book’s storyline has some repetitive formulas but I didn’t mind it one bit. There’s still differences within each of the couples and their developments that made each story their own.
Although it’s set in a high school backdrop, these books are most certainly NA romance with a ton of raunchy sexual content for targeted audiences 18+ only. The world-building is one I haven’t come across in a lot of contemporary romance reads and immediately had me curious. The struggle is real with what these cast of characters go through and I was invested in each and every one of their lives from beginning to end.
I’ve been an avid fan of Lovell’s mafia romances and wanted to check out the rest of her backlist of books. Not only has the Dayton series introduced me to Lovell’s style of contemporary romance writing, but it also introduced new-to-me author Stevie J. Cole.
I’m late to the Dayton series party, and I’m not sure if No Romeo is officially the last book, but I do hope Wolf gets one of his very own. Although Hendrix is a loud, very memorable, one of kind character, Wolf was the very first Dayton “bad boy” introduced in No Prince (besides Zepp) that caught my eye.
Once I started this series I could not NOT binge-read them back to back. Safe to say they’ve become an addiction! 😁 They all have crude but laugh-out-loud humour, swoon-worthy romantic elements, and strong, genuine friendships that made them massive page-turners. There’s a real sense of survival, desperation, and a struggle with poverty with these characters that added another layer to each of their narratives. These books won’t be for everyone, but I highly recommend you give them a try. It’s an interconnected series but each is a standalone novel.
OVERALL RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Want More High School Angst?
🎒 Black Mountain Academy
Pretty When She Cries by A. Zavarelli
Mr. Heartbreaker by Jordan Marie
Hate Me by A. Jade
•••
🔥 Hellfire Club
Wicked Idol by Becker Gray
Callous Prince by Becker Gray
Brutal Blueblood by Becker Gray
Ruined Sinner by Becker Gray
Sweet Devil by Becker Gray
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Happy reading, guys! Catch you in my next one! Xo
booksofthemuggleborn 
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